Mail box construction



April 17, 1962 R. w. HALL MAIL BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed June 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

RALPHWHALL .Bymw

ATTORNEYS A ril 17, 1962 R. w; HALL MAIL BOX cons'rauc'nou 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 16, 1960 F INVENTOR.

RALPfiw. HALL ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office Patented Apr. 17, 1962'- 3,03tl,tltl7 MAIL BQX CGNSTRUCTEGN Ralph W. Hall, Cincinnati, @hio, assignor to The Randall (Iornpany, Division of Textron, Inn, Cincinnati, Uhio, a corporation of Rhode Island Filed Inne 16, 1960, Ser. No. 36,587 6 Claims. (till. 232-17) This invention relates to mail boxes and particularly to lockable mail boxes.

An object of this invention is to provide lockable mail boxes into which mail may be inserted while the box is locked and which box is resistant to theft of pieces of mail reposing therein while the box remains locked.

Another object of this invention is to provide a lockable mail box mounted upon a resilient hinge which biases the box lid to a predetermined position and permits shifting of the lid a sufficient distance to permit insertion of letters and the like into the box While same is locked.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mail box in which the box walls, lid attaching hinge, and a pair of securing members interlockingly cooperate with each other to secure each other inpredetermined assembled relation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mail box having a lid mounted upon a resilient hinge and in cooperation with a lever, manipulation of which shifts the lid to uncover a mail receiving aperture while preeluding raising of the lid edge remote from the hinge while the box is locked.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mail box having an external large-parcel-holder adapted for shipment inside the box and which holder may be so cooperatively coupled to the box that it remains in interlocked relation thereto when the box is subsequently secured against the surface of a support which precludes disconnection of the holder.

The above and other objects and features of this invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains, from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a mail box embodying the instant invention, portions of the box being broken away to conserve space;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the upper portion of the box shown in FIG. 1, but having the lid thereof in raised or open position;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical cross section of the box shown in FIG. 1, portions thereof being broken away to conserve space;

FIG. 4 is a side view in vertical section of the portion of a box shown in FIG. 2;

PKG. 5 is a fragmentary View of a device shown in FIG. 3 but with the lid thereof shifted toward the limit of mail-receiving position;

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of a fragmentary portion of the box shown in FIG. 1 with parts positioned preparatory to assembly; 7

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that shown in FIG. 6 but in which the relative positions of parts are intermediate the preliminary relation illustrated in FIG. 6 and assembled relation;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing portions of the box illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 in assernbled relation; FIG. 9 is a view in front elevation, portions thereof being broken away to conserve space and showing a modified form of box embodying this invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of 2 part of the box shown in FIG. 9 with the lid thereof in raised position;

FIG. 11 is a view in side elevation in section of the box shown in FIGS. 9 and 10;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 11 but differing therefrom in that the lid is shifted into a position in which the box is. partially opened to receive mail; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary view in sectional side eleva tion of the portion of the box shown in FIG. 10.

A mail box having a main body fabricated from sheet metal is shown in the drawings. The main member 15 of the box body comprises a front panel 16, a left side panel 17, right side panel 18, and bottom panel 22, and back flanges 23, 24 turned inwardly into opposed spaced relation. Side panel 17 is joined to front panel 16 at fold l9 and to back flange 23 at fold 25. Side panel 13 is joined to front panel 16 at fold 20 and to back flange 24 at fold 26. Bottom 22 is joined to the lower edge of panel 16 at fold 21. Back panel 27 is the second sheet metal member comprising the body of the box.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 3, a forwardly projecting flange portion 28 is preferably provided along the lower edge of back panel 27. The flange 28 is adapted to support the free edge of bottom 22. An overhanging trap flange 29 is provided along the upper edge of back panel 27 to which it is integrally joined by fold 30. Flange 29 is disposed in a position such that when the main body member I5 and back panel 27 are in assembled relation, flange 29 lie in substantially the same plane or immediately subjacent the plane in which the upper edges of front panel 16 and side panels 17 and 18 lie. As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, L-shaped projecting arm portions 31, 32 extend from flange 29 toward front panel l6 and have their free end in close spaced or contacting relation to respective side panels 17 and 18 whereby the back panel and each L-shaped arm and adjacent side panel serve to define a respective elongated opening 33, 34 when the box is in assembled condition. 7

To cover or close the upward facing mouth of the box, a lid 35 is provided which comprises a sheet metal panel 36, from the front and lateral edges of which flange or skirt-like portions 37, 38 and 39 depend to protect the interior and contents of the box from airborne dust and hydrometors. Hinge brackets to and 41 are secured to panel portion 36 by spot welds, rivets or the like 42, 43 and have respective tubular portions 44, 45 adapted to cooperatively receive central portion 46 of hinge wire member 47. Hinge wire 47 is preferably formed from round spring wire with its central portion 46 straight and disposed between knee bends 48, 49 which are respectively connected to leg portions 54 51. Leg portions 50, 51 as shown in FIG. 3, extend downwardly and are respectively joined to locking toe portions 54, 55 by heel bend portions 52, 53. Leg portions 50, 51 are formed so as to tend to bow with their center lines lying respectively in planes parallel to the side panels 17, 18 and with their central portions more remotely spaced from the back pane127 than the portions adjacent the respective elbow bend 48, 4? or heel bend 52, 53 portions.

To assemble the box, hinge wire 47 is placed in cooperative relation with hinge brackets 4t), 41. L-shaped arm portions 31, 32 and trap flange portion 29 are slipped between the free rear edge of bottom 22 and the lower ends of back flanges 23, 24 and panel 27 is then advanced to move flange 28 into cooperative relation with bottom 22, as shown in FIG. 3. In this fashion, back panel 27 may be positioned so that back flanges 23 and 24 overlie lateral portion of the exteriorly facing surface of panel 27. Prior to placing back panel 27 in such relation to main body member 15, inverted L-shape slots or apertures are provided therein, one 56 adjacent each lateral edge of back panel 27 and one 57 or 58 in each of the back flanges 23, 24-, so located that pairs of apertures 5657, 5658 will be in registry when the back panel 27 and main member 15 are in assembled relation as shown in FIG. 3. The duplicate apertures 56, 57, 58 each has a respective longest edge 59, 60, 61 in spaced parallel relation to an adjacent corner of the box, that is a fold 25, 26 connecting a side panel 17, 18 to a back flange 23, 24. The respective longest straight edge 59, 69, 61 of the slot like apertures 56, 57, or 58 is spaced from the surface of the side panel which forms part of the inside surface of the box by a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the hinge wire 47. As shown in the drawings, particularly FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, each aperture or slot 56, 57, 58 has a nari-ow portion 62 and a wide portion 63, which latter portion in the drawings is shown as the upper portion.

An assembly interlocking member 65 is formed from stiff sheet metal. As shown most clearly, particularly in FIGS. 6 and 7, member 65 has an elongate generally flat main portion 66 with outwardly curved portions 67, 68 adjacent the ends thereof and a central integral tongue portion '69 which extends perpendicularly from the main portion and then curves to a portion 64 spaced in parallel relation to the main portion 66 adjacent the free end 70 of the tongue portion 69. The free edge 70 of the tongue portion '69 is substantially coplanar with the edge portions 71 and 72 of the assembly member 65 as illustrated in FIG. 6.

To assemble the box the back panel 27 and main member 15 are positioned as, previously described, with the corresponding apertures 56-57, 56-58 therein, in registry. Hinge Wire 47 is positioned with the leg portions 50, 51 thereof lying substantially in contact with the respective adjacent side panel 17, 18 and the back panel 27. The locking toe portions 54-, 55, are respectively received in apertures 73 provided in the same portions as those in which apertures 56, 57, '58 are provided but in spaced relation to the latter apertures. Locking toe portions 54,55 thus extend through the registering apertures 73 to hold the back panel 27 in proper registry with flanges 23, 24 at a'greater distance from the lid end of the mail box than-apertures'56, 57, 58. As shown in FIG. 6, the leg portions 50, -1 of hinge wire 47 thus lie adjacent the long edge of apertures 56-57, 5658 when the central portion of the wire leg is pressed into line contact with back panel 27 thereby prestres'sing hinge wire 47. An assembly member 65 may be positioned as shown in FIG 6, and then with a twisting motion the tongue portion 69 may be advanced through the position shown in FIG. 7 and through the wide portion 63 of registering apertures 56- 57, '56 58 into a position in which its free end edge 70 contacts'the adjacent side panel 17 or 18 in'a location corresponding to that indicated in dot-dash line 81 in FIG. 8 with'portion 64 of tongue 69 positioned to so hold a leg portion 50, 51 as to retain locking toe portion '54, 55 in resiliently stressed condition biasing same into interlocking relation to the cooperating parts. Thereafter, the assembly member is advanced toward the locking toe portion'of the leg which projects through the apertures provided 'in back panel 27 and the corresponding back flange 23or 24. Incident to movement of assembly member 65 into'the position in which it is shown in full lines in'FIG. 8,the outwardly curvedend portion serves as a cam which forces the projecting portion of the locking toe 54 or 55 inwardly so that the assembly member 65 may ride over the end of'sarne until an aperture 74 (shown in FIGS. 621ml 7) moves into registry with registering'apertures 73 provided in the back panel 27 and back flange 23 or 24 in which the lead'portion of the locking toe portion has been pressed whereby the locking toe portion snaps into the aperture 74 in assembly member 65 to lock same against shifting. Two such assembly members, one 'cooperating with back panel 27, back flange 23, hinge wire leg 50 and locking toe portion 54, and the second Cooperating with back panel 27, back flange 24, hinge wire leg portion 51 and locking toe portion 55, serve to secure and lock the main box body member 15, back panel 27 and hinge wire 47 into unitary assembled relation, the hinge wire, of course, being secured through the hinge brackets 49, 41 to lid 35. As shown in FIG. 2, such assembly of the respective parts results in the leg portion 58 reposing in the slot 33 defined by side panel 17 and L-shaped arm 31 While leg portion 51 extends through similar slot 34 defined by side panel 18, back panel 27 and L-shaped arm 32.

Since hanger wire 47 is a relatively stiff, spring wire, the portion of the legs 50, 51 thereof extending from the portion in supported relation to the assembly member tongue 69 and the knee bend portion 48 or 49, may be flexed by forward shifting of the lid 35 until the leg portions 58, 51 0f the hinge wire 47 engage the stop finger portions 75, 76 of L-shaped arms 31, 32, a condition in which the rear edge 77 of lid 35 is in closer spaced relation to the plane of front panel 16 than the edge 78 of trap flange 29. In this condition the rear edge 77 of lid 35, edges 79 and 80 of L-shaped arm portions 31, 32, and edge 78 of trap flange 29 define an aperture through which mail may be inserted into the interior of the box and these members serve to guide a mail piece away from 'a path leading to its becoming wedged betwee back panel 27 and leg 50 or 51 of hinge wire 47, which later members round cross-section and siZe also contributes to minimizing of likelihood of such wedging. The members bounding the insertion aperture also serve to resist fishing of mail pieces out of the box once they have been deposited therein.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, an aperture 82 is provided in front panel 16. Pivot bracket 83 is secured against the inner face of panel 16 by rivets 84, so that arm portion 85 of pivot bracket 83 projects outwardly through aperture 82. Link mounting bracket 86 is secured by spot weld, rivet, or the like 87 to lid 35 and operating lever 88 is secured thereto by rivet pin 89. Link mounting bracket '86 is thus secured in fixed relation to lid 35. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, operating lever 88 has an aperture 90 extending through its lower or free end portion adapted to cooperatively receive and cooperate with the bow portion 91 of padlock 92. I The bow portion 91 of padlock 92, as shown in the drawings, also extends through aperture 93 provided in arm portion 85 of the pivot bracket 83 and thus serves to connect in pivotal relation pivot bracket 83 'and operating lever 88. Operating lever 88 has a forwardly projecting arm position 94, the free end portion of which serves as a finger tab 95.

When the box is locked shut as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, one merely needs to press downwardly on finger tab portion 95 to effect rocking of operating lever 88 about the pivot fulcrum provided by padlock how 91, thereby swinging the upper end of operating lever 88 forward, drawing lid 35 forward in a corresponding manner whereby rear edge 77 of lid 35 is moved forward into a position in which it is closer to front panel 16 than edge 78 of trap flange 29. Mail may be inserted through the slot-like gap between edges 77 and 78. Attempts to fish mail out of the box through this gap or aperture is rendered diflicult by the fact that trap flange 29 and lid 35 hamper the fishing operation by reason of their close proximity to the supporting surface of a structure (not shown) and by reason-of their tendency to trap and dislodge mail pieces from the grip of fishing utensils. As soon as finger tab 95 is released, resilient hinge wire 47 moves lid 35 back into the position in which it is shown in FIGS. land 3 and holds it firmly in that position by reason of the prestressing of hinge wire 47 incident to assembly of the mail box as previously explained.

When it is desired to remove mail from the interior of the box, padlock 92 is opened and bow 91 disengaged from pivot bracket arm 85, or operating lever 88, or both, to permit swinging of lid 35 into the position in which it is shown in FIG. 4. Following removal of mail,

the lid is lowered and padlock re-engaged with operating lever 88 and bracket arm 85. If desired, inspection apertures 96 may be provided in the body of the box to permit visual determination as to whether mail reposes in the box without unlocking same.

To mount the box upon a structure such as the wall of a house, a pair of dimples 97 are provided in back panel 27 annularly of apertures 98 provided centrally thereof. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, I prefer that the dimples 97 project outwardly so that their flat surface portions 99 are coplanar with edges of the assembly interlocking members 65, thus permitting water and the like to flow down the exterior surface of the supporting structure withoutbeing diverted into the mail box. It may be noted that when the mail box is mounted against a structure in this fashion, that is, by screws extending through apertures 98 with their heads received inside the box in dimples 97, the locking toe portions 54, 55 of hinge wire 47 are disposed in an inaccessible location as are the heads of the mounting screws not shown. Thus, rendering removal, disassembly or pilferage ,of the box, difficult so long as the box is locked.

As shown in FIGS. 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, a lever bar 1W5 having an aperture 106 is provided, adapted to cooperatingly receive arm portion 85 of pivot bracket 83 adjacent its lower end and having a narrowed tongue portion 107 adjacent its upper end. An aperture 108 is provided in lid 35, large enough to receive portion 1&7 of lever 195 and too small to permit passage of portion 109 thereof. A tab portion lltl, too large to pass through aperture 108 is riveted, welded, or otherwise permanently secured to portion 107 above lid 35, whereby lever 165 is permanently secured in cooperative relation to lid 35. Padlock bow 91 extends through an aperture 93 in pivot bracket arm 85 and serves to preclude disengagement of lever 195 from bracket arm portion 85, as shown most clearly in FIGS. 9, l1 and 12. To insert mail into the box shown in FIGS. 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, tab 110 is pulled forward to the position shown in FIG. 12, to expose the mail inserting aperture and released to permit the lid 35 to close the box as shown in FIG. 11. To remove mail reposing in the box, padlock 92 is opened and removed, the lower end of lever 105 is swung forward to disengage it from pivot bracket arm 85 and thereafter, the lid 35 is raised into the position in which it is shown in FIG. 13. To relock the box it is only necessary to lower lid 35 into closed position, engage lever 105 upon pivot bracket arm 85 and thereafter couple padlock 92 to arm 85 to preclude disengagement of lever 1tl5 therefrom.

As shown in FIG. 9 a frame 111 may be secured to tab 110 by screws 112 or the like. Frame 111 will thus serve to secure an identification card, plate or other indicia bearing member against tab 110.

External large parcel-holder 115 may be formed from resilient wire and has cradle portion 116'and interlocking arms 117. Holder 115 may be shipped inside the box body and secured in operative relation to the box prior to mounting same in place for use. Arms 117 are inserted through apertures 118 provided in bottom 22 and rest upon the bottom 22 as shown in FIGS. 3, 11, and 12. The box may be secured to the face of a support (not shown) which then limits counter-clockwise swinging of holder 115 (as viewed in FIGS. 3, 11 and 12) so as to preclude its disengagement from the box.

Having thus described what presently appears to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those having ordinarily skill in the art to which this invention pertains, that various modifications and changes may be made in the above described illustrative embodiment without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention and the appended claims.

Therefore, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A lockable mail box comprising a receptacle body, a lid closing said body and hingedly secured to said body for limited translatory motion in opposition to resisting forces imposed by at least one resilient portion of the connecting hinge means, a lever in pivotal cooperative relation to said lid and to said body, at least one of said pivotal connections being of permanent nature and the other being effected by means including a padlock whereby rocking of said lever serves to elfect limited translatory movement of said lid to permit insertion of mail pieces into said box while locked and whereby removal of said padlock permits opening of one of said pivotal connections to permit swinging of said lid into open position to permit convenient removal of mail from said box.

2. A lockable mail box comprising a main body portion having L-shaped apertures therein, a second body portion having two L-shaped apertures each adapted for positioning in registry with a respective one of said L- shaped apertures in said main body portion, a lid Pivotally secured to the central portion of a hinge wire, the additional portions of which wire in progressively remote sequence from said central portion being a knee bend portion, leg portion, heel bend portion and locking toe portion, registering locking toe receiving apertures being provided in spaced adjacent relation to said L-shaped apertures in said main and second body members and a pair of assembly interlocking members adapted to extend through said L-shaped apertures and securingly engage a respective leg portion of said hinge wire adjacent the heel bend portion to secure same in predetermined relation to said main and second body portions when said assembly interlocking member is in a position in which an aperture provided therein is in registry with the aforesaid locking toe receiving aperture and receives a portion of said locking toe which locks and said interlocking member against movement relative to said body members, and operating lever means in pivotally connectible relation to said lid and to said body and linking said lid and body, the opening of at least one of said pivotal connections being precludable by a padlock.

3. A mail box which comprises an open topped box for receiving mail, a movable cover for the open top of the box, spring means linking one side of the cover to the box, means hinging the cover to the spring means, the spring means urging the hinge means to a normal position adjacent one top edge of the box, the cover swinging on the hinge means between a closed position in which the cover overlies and closes the open top of the box when in normal position and a raised position in which the open top of the box is exposed, and means releasably linking an opposite edge of the cover to the box spaced from the hinge when the cover is in closed position, the cover being advanceable in spring stressing direction to reveal a portion of the open top of the box, and means limiting movement of the cover in spring stressing direction, whereby only a predetermined portion of the open top is revealable when the cover is in closed position.

4. A mail box in accordance with claim 3 character ized by the fact that the means for linking the cover and the box comprises a linking member extending through a slot in the cover spaced from the hinge, a stud member mounted on the box and extending outwardly therefrom, there being an opening in the link member releasably receiving the stud, and lock means removably mounted on the stud for holding the link member on the stud, the link member having a handle portion extending upwardly above the cover, the handle portion being engageable for moving the cover in spring stressing direction.

5. A mail box in accordance with claim 3 characterized by the fact that the means for linking the cover and the box comprises a link member, means for pivotally connecting one end of the link member to the cover spaced from the hinge, means for releasably hinging the I opposite end of the link member to the box spaced below the cover, and a handle mounted on the link, the link being swingable in a direction to stress the spring means and move the cover to reveal the predetermined portion of the open top of the box.

6. A lockable mail box comprising a receptacle body, a lid closing said body and hingedly connected to said body for swinging movement between open and closed positions and for limited translatory motion in opposition to resisting forces imposed by at least one resilient portion of the connecting hinge means, :lock means cooperating with said body and lid to preclude pivoting of the lid into open relation and allowing limited trans- 8 latory movement thereof relative to said body, whereby limited translatory movement of said lid may be effected to permit predetermined limited opening to allow insertion of mail pieces into said box while locked and whereby said lid may be moved into open position when unlocked to permit convenient removal of mail from said box.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 1,327,957 McDonald Jan. 13, 1920 1,438,518 Chapman Dec. 12, 1922 1,511,169 Johnson Oct. 7, 1924 2,194,226 Holdren Mar. 19, 1940 

